ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 79 



insufficient supply promoting tlae production of microsporangia. 

 The dissemination of the macrospores extends over a longer period 

 than that of the microspores. The bulbils correspond in this respect 

 to the macrospores. 



Muscineae. 

 New Genera of Mosses.* — C. Miiller describes four new genera 

 of mosses: — Wilsoniella, belonging to Bryacese, one species from 

 Ceylon, and another from Australia ; Thiemia, belonging to Funa- 

 riacefB, one species from Burmah; Behnanniella, belonging to Pot- 

 tiacefe, one species from South Africa ; and Hampeella, belonging to 

 Hookeriace^e, one species from Java. 



Classification of Sphagnacese.f — 0. G. Limpricht lays consider- 

 able stress, in the determination of species of Sphagnum, on the 

 relative position of the chlorophyllaceous and the hyaline cells in the 

 leaves of the branches, a character which he considers has been too 

 much neglected by Warnstoff in his recent synopsis of the group. ^ 

 Limpricht reunites S. suhhicolor Hampe and S. glaucum v. Klinggr. 

 •to S. cymhifolium. 



Characeae. 



Cell-nucleus in Chara fcetidaj — F. Johow has made an extensive 

 series of observations on the changes which take place in the nucleus 

 in cell-division in Chara foetida, for the purpose of determining the 

 correctness on the one hand of Schmitz's description of it as " direct 

 division of the nucleus," || or that by Treub and Strasburger as 

 " fragmentation." For this purpose he used chiefly the apical cells 

 and primary segment-cells of the stem, those of the so-called " pro- 

 embryo," of the leaves and cortical lobes, and of the nodes, employ- 

 ing the methods of hardening and colouring by means of picric acid 

 and hsematoxylin. 



The results obtained were in many respects different from those 

 previously described by Schmitz, Treub, and Strasburger, a difference 

 which the author suggests may be explained by the fact that the 

 various observers have had under observation different species or 

 varieties of Chara. The " fragmentation " which Strasburger de- 

 scribes was also not observed by Johow in the staminal hairs of 

 Tradescantia, the parenchymatous cells of Nicotiana and Tro^pceolum, 

 or the suspensor of Orohus. The following are the chief points on 

 which he insists. 



The cell-nucleus of Chara foetida retains the same structure in 

 essential points throughout its existence, viz. a homogenous matrix 

 in which are imbedded chromatin-particles of varying number and 

 form ; the occurrence of the nuclear wall is not limited to any par- 

 ticular stage. A disorganization of the cell- nucleus did not accom- 



* Bot. Centralbl., vii. (1881) pp. 345-9. 



t Ibid., pp. 311-19. 



X See this Journal, i. (1881) p. 773. 



§ Bot. Ztg., xxxix. (1881) pp. 729-43, 745-53 (1 pi.). 



II See this Journal, i. (1881) p. 475. 



